Ventilator



INVENTOR June 12, 1928.

L. S. PRATT 7 VENTILATOR Original FiledMarch 6, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet Lac/05 5.- pQWTT H's ATTORNEY Fig, 4

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L. S. PRATT June 12, 1928.

VENTILATOR Original Filed March 6, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Lac/05 rip/e477" BY 3M Hus.

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ATTORNEY Patented June 12, 1928.

UNITED STATES 7 1,673,707 PATENT OFFICE.

LUCIUS S. PRATT, OF ROANOKE, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR 'IO W'INE RAILWAY APPLIANCE COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

VENTILATOR.

Application filed March 6, 1924, Serial No. 697,314v Renewed October 15, 1926.

This invention relates to ventilators and has among its objects to provide improved means for the ventilation of freight cars used in the transportation of fruits, vegetables and other perishable foods.

Heretofore it has been customary on such cars to provide two doors for each door opening, one door being of a solid type construction and used to close the door opening whenever it is desired to protect the lading of the car against the cold air outside, the other door being arranged so to cause circulation of the air inside the car. \Vith this arrangement either door may be used to cover the door opening, depending upon whether or not it is desired to admit the outside air into the car. This means of ventilation is, however, expensive both in' the first cost of the car and in its maintenance, as it is necessary to provide two doors, together with means for operating them. It is to provide means for overcoming these disadvantages that the present invention is directed.

Another object of this invention is to pro vide a. ventilator that may be sealed :in either the open or closed position, thereby reducing the possibility of it being tanr pered with while the car is in transit.

A still further object is to provide a ventilator in which the possibility of rain or snow being blown through by the wind is reduced to a minimum.

With the foregoing objects in view, the invention consists of the formation, combination and arrangement of parts as set forth, particularly in the appended claims, the various elements being co-ordinated to produce improvements generally in this art.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of a portion of a freight car door, to which my ventilator is applied. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional View taken approximately on line 2-2 of 1. Fig. 3 is an end view of the louvre used in my ventilator, while Fig. 4: is a side elevational view of the same. Figs. 5 and 6 are end and side views respectively of the louvre shutter. Fig. 7, is a fragmentary side view of the same construct-ion shown in Fig. 1 but on a larger scale, permitting a clearer disclosure of a portion of the shutter operating mechanism. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side View showing more in detail the means provided for sealing the ventilator in an open or closed position. Fig. 9 1s a fragmentary sectional View through the ventilator, showing same in the closed position, while Fig. 10 is a similar view showing the ventilator in the opened position. Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 11l1 of Fig. 7.

In the drawings, the louvres 1 may advantageously be secured together by rivets 2, and mounted in a frame by means of bolts 3, the frame in the present instance being a freight car door. Each of said louvi'cs is fashioned with laterally spaced inner and outer faces 22 and 9, respectively, connected by an upwardly inclined web portion 24. The louvres are preferably associated in a manner such that the inner and outer faces of adjacent louvres are arranged in spaced overlapped relation.

'In the spaces defined by the inner and outer faces and inclined webs of adjacent louvres, shutters 4: are slidably mounted for controlling the passage of air through the ventilator. Each of the shutters is formed with an outer face 25 having at its upper end an inwardly and upx'vardly inclined portion 26, preferably disposed ina plane parallel with the inclined web 24 of the louvre, and it is adapted when in open position to engage the web of thclouvre. For supporting the shutters in closed position the inclined portions thereof are fasl'iioned to engage the top portion 21 0f the inner face of the louvres. The outer faces 25 of the shuttors are adapted to bridge the spaces between the outer faces ofadjacent louvres by operating in planes adjacent to and substantially parallel therewith. Each of the shutters is secured to outside connecting rods 7 by bolts 6 through apertures 5 in the ends of the shutters, the bolts also passing through elongated openings 8 in the ends of the louvres, whereby the shutters may be guided in their direction of movement.

The shutter operating mechanism consists of outside connecting rods 7 having at their upper ends slotted offset portions into which the outer ends of the cross bars 10 are adapted to extend. These cross bars are pivotally connected to hangers 13 preferably by means of bolts 12, and are, at their inner ends, pivotally secured to a plate 14 carried by the operating arm 11. Thehangers 13 may advantageously be secured to the upper frame member by bolts 145*. Attached to the outer face of one of the louvres is a strap for the purpose of guiding the arm 11 in its operative movement.

lileans for sealing the ventilator in open or closed position is provided, and consists of the bracket 16 secured preferably to the bottom louvre, the brackethaving an apertured outstanding lug 17 adapted to extend into any one of a plurality of slots 19 formed in the lower end of the operating arm 11.

The ventilator as shown in Figs. 1, 2, etc., is in closed position with the bottom opening 19 in the operating bar 11 engaging the outstanding lug 17 of the sealing bracket 16. In this closed position the faces of the shutters completely close the openings between the outer faces 9 of adjacent louvres, consequently providing a substantially air tight structure. It will be noted that in this position the outside of the ventilator presents a substantially plane surface free from openings, recesses or indentations of any character, thereby insuring against. the provision of any means tending to collect dirt, cinders, rain, etc. When it is desired to open the ventilator the bar 11 is pulled outwardly from the face of the ventilator until it is disengaged from the outstanding lug 17 of the bracket 16. The bar 11 is then pulled downwardly causing the cross bars 10 to rotate about their respective pivot points, thereby raising the connecting bars 7 and with them the shutters 4. \Vhen the shutters have been raised to open position the up ver opening 19 of the bar 11 engages the lug 17, in which position it may besealed by the usual form of sealing means.

It will be appreciated that in view of the spaced overlapped relation of the louvres the possibility of any substance being blown into the car is reduced to a minimum.

Vhile I have shown my ventilator applied to a freight car door for the purposes of illustration, it will be readily seen that it may be used wherever a ventilator is desired.

Hav ng described a preferred embodiment of mylnvention, what I claim is:

1. A ventilator comprising a frame, louvres positioned therein, having their bottom portlon overlying the top portion of the adjacent louvreobelow it, shutters disposed between said louvres, the top of each said louvres having a central oortion formed at an angle of approximately ninety degrees to'the plane of the louvres and forming a bearing for said shutters when in the closed position, and separate means for operating said shutters.

.2. A ventilator having louvres rigidly secured together adjacent their outer ends, each of said louvres having laterally spaced inner and outer faces connected by a web forming :an oblique angle with the latter face, said louvres being arranged in a manner such that the inner and outer faces of adjacent louvres are spaced in overlapped rela' tion, and means movably mounted between adjacent louvres for controlling the passage of air through said ventilator.

3. A ventilator comprisinga frame having louvres mounted therein, each of said louvres having inner and outer substantially parallel faces and being arranged in a manner such that the inner and outer faces of adjacent louvres are spaced in ovcrla iped relation. and vertically slidable means operatively interposed between the ovcrla iping portions of adjacent louvres for controlling the passage of air through said ventilator.

et. A ventilator comprising a frame having louvres mounted therein, each of said louvres having laterally spaced inner and outer substantially parallel faces, and means slidably mounted in the spaces defined by the inner and outer faces of adjacent louvres for controlling the passage of air through said VCIltlltItOl' each of said means having a portion adapted to operate in a plane substantially parallel. and adjacent to the outer face of said louvres whereby when the ventilator is closed the outside. thereof presents a substantially plane surface.

5. A ventilator con'iprising a frame having louvres mounted therein, each of said louvres having inner and outer laterally spaced faces. and means slidably mounted in the spaces defined by the inner and outer faces of adjacent louvres, each of said means having aportion adapted to bridge the space between the outer faces of adjacent louvres to close said ventilator-and having a portion adapted to support said means in closed position.

6. A ventilator comprising a frame having louvres mounted therein, each of said louvres having inner and outer laterally spaced faces connected by a web portion forming an angle with both of said faces, said louvres being associated in a manner such that the inner and outer faces of adjacent louvres are arranged in spaced overlapped relation, and movable means operatively interposed between said adjacent louvre faces to close the opening between the outer faces of adjacentlouvres so that when said ventilatoris closed the outside thereof presents a substantially plane surface.

7. A ventilator comprising a frame hav ing louvres formed with laterally spaced inner and outer faces mounted therein, said louvres being associated in a manner such that the inner and outer faces of adjacent louvres are arranged in spacedv overlapped relation, and slidably mounted means operatively interposed between the overlapping portions of adjacent louvres for controlling the passage of air through said ventilator,

each of saidslida'bly mounted means having a portion adapted'to close the opening between the outer faces of adjacent louvres and having a portion formed at an angle to the first named portion for engagement with the inner face of the louvres to support said slidably mounted means in closed position.

8. A ventilator comprising a frame having louvres mounted therein, each of said louvres having laterally spaced inner and outer faces connected by a web portion forming an angle with both of said faces, said louvres being associated in a manner such that the inner and outer faces of ad- 'jacent louvres are arranged in spaced oven lapped relation, and movable means oper tively interposed between the overlapping portions of adjacent louvres for controlling the passage of air through said ventilator, each of said means having a face portion adapted to operate in a plane adjacent with and substantially parallel to the outer faces of said louvres, and having an inwardly and upwardly inclined portion adapted when the movable means are in open position to engage with the connecting webs of the louvres and when in closed position to engage with the inner faces of the louvres. In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature this 4th day of March, 1924.

LUCIUS S. PRATT. 

